REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN

Okaloosa County Sheriff SWAT's Liberator Elevated Tactics System used to bring shootout to an end!

Okaloosa County Sheriff deployed their Liberator Elevated Tactics System to assist Bay County Sheriff and Panama City Police during a shootout with suspect Kevin Holroyd. Due to the suspect heavily barricading the ground floor entry points, the Liberator system was the only method of entry into the house, allowing SWAT to breach a 2nd floor window and discover the suspect deceased following the shootout. For more info, please visit the below news link and press release from Bay County Sheriff!

"The Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Panama City Police Department received a Be On the Lookout this morning from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office concerning Kevin Robert Holroyd, age 49. Holroyd lived in Bay County, but was wanted in connection to a homicide in Walton County that occurred today. The BCSO and PCPD began looking for Holroyd on the chance he might return to Bay County. Holroyd’s vehicle was observed at his townhome apartment at Briarwood Apartments on Beck Avenue, so investigators began surveillance on the townhome to determine if Holroyd was inside. While the surveillance was being conducted, a resident at the apartment complex called to report the smell of gas. When fire fighters arrived in the parking lot to respond to the reported gas fumes, investigators got out of their cars to find out why they were there. It was then that Holroyd began to shoot at the approaching investigators and firefighters from the upstairs windows of his townhome apartment.

The Panama City Police Department responded to the scene and came under gunfire, as did responding BCSO deputies. It is estimated about 100 rounds were shot during the altercation. Officers exchanged gunfire with Holroyd, but were in a dangerous tactical situation due to the fact he was firing from an elevated, second story window. PCPD SWAT, BCSO SWAT, BCSO Air Unit, and Bomb Squad were deployed to the scene.

The BCSO armored vehicle arrived at the scene. Two Panama City Police Officers and a BCSO deputy were pinned down behind their vehicles and were rescued by the BCSO armored vehicle. A request was made for the BearCat, an armored vehicle, from Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and an armored vehicle from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Walton County deputies also responded to assist. First responders were under heavy gunfire as they worked to keep the residents safe and get them out. Multiple patrol vehicles were peppered with gunfire, shattering windows and computers inside the vehicles. The armored vehicles were also vital to the safety of law enforcement as they were able to draw close to Holroyd’s apartment to evaluate the best strategy to get inside to get him.

The BCSO Bomb Squad was able to breach the front door using an explosive technique, but Holroyd had barricaded the doorway from inside. Several robots were deployed to evaluate and one was used to break the sliding glass door at the back of the townhome and a multi-agency SWAT team entered the townhome through an upstairs window using the elevated platform on top of the BearCat. It was then that law enforcement realized Holroyd had saturated the inside of the townhome with gasoline. The fumes likely prompted the report of gas fumes earlier by another resident. Inside the townhome, law enforcement found Kevin Robert Holroyd deceased. They also found flares and believe Holroyd intended to start a fire using a flare to ignite the gasoline. Also found in the home was hundreds of rounds of ammunition, several high powered rifles, and Holroyd was wearing body armor when found.

The FDLE is currently working the scene and will conduct investigations into the officer involved shootings. All local law enforcement agencies, as well as FWC and FHP, worked together as one unified team to keep the residents of Bay County safe."